With winter officially in full swing, it’s as important as ever to make sure your compressed air system is running optimally as the temperatures continue to decrease. Your compressed air system could be exposed to poor operating conditions while the ambient temperatures drop throughout the winter, so planning your air compressor maintenance and ventilation now can prevent issues caused by your compressor room being too cold. Downtime and maintenance issues can be costly, so here are a few tips to help your compressed air system run optimally as the temperatures decrease:

Monitor and regulate your compressor room temperature.

Keep your compressor room above 45° F, while also allowing for cooling air flow and/or heat removal. You may need to change the mix of cooling air flow with outside and inside cooling air. Adding a space heater for periods when the compressed air equipment is off may also be needed.

Check the condition of your compressor room.

Your compressor room may have drafts and could need insulation. Components such as oil/water condensate separators, air receivers, and drains that are installed near outside facing walls could freeze if they are subjected to low temperatures.

Check any condensate drain lines that run outside of your building.

You may need to heat trace the line to prevent it from freezing up. Better yet, Zorn can help you find a way to clean the condensate and run clean water to a suitable drain.

Check any air lines to your equipment that run outside.

Bag houses and dust collectors can freeze even if you have a refrigerated air dryer. A small, properly sized desiccant air dryer at the point of use will keep these lines free of moisture and from any potential freeze-ups.

Recover all generated heat.

Air compressors generate a significant amount of heat that can be recovered and used to lower overall energy costs. If you have a louver or fan system, remember to change to recovery position. Zorn can help you recover that heat and boost the efficiency of your system.

Zorn is the Midwest leader of custom, engineered compressed air and vacuum solutions. We provide the best customer experience by understanding your applications and needs and offering an unparalleled commitment to customer satisfaction. 

When it gets to that time of year where winterization is top of mind, Zorn is there for all of your preventive maintenance needs.

Our comprehensive product and service solutions keep you running 24/7. We provide:

• Reliable equipment
• Trusted brands
• Seamless, easy installation
• Post-sales support
• Local, 24/7 service

Our compressed air experts look forward to meeting you to discuss your equipment and support needs. Please contact us directly at (262) 695-7000 with any questions or to schedule service for your system moving forward.

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